Wrapping machine



P. J. VAUGHAN WRAPPING MACHINE May 7, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4. 1965 I INVENTOR. PAUL J.VAUGHAN BY 6mm Ma ATTYS.

May 7, 1968 P. J. VAUGHAN WRAPPING MACHINE Filed May 4. 1 965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. PAUL J. VAUGHAN BY 6W 0wm ATT YS.

United States Patent 3,381,449 WRAPPING MACHINE Paul I. Vaughan, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignor, by mesue assignments, to Filmco, Inc., Aurora, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 4, 1965, Ser. No. 453,075 9 Claims. (Cl. 53390) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for dispensing and cutting various widths of film for use in wrapping of packages while preventing entangling contact between various portions of the film.

This invention relates to a wrapping machine, and more particularly to a machine adapted for semi-automatic wrapping of meats and other food products with a transparent, soft film web to preserve the freshness and enhance the appearance of the meat or the food products wherein a minimum of material is utilized to obtain a complete wrap.

Heretofore it has been well known that there have been many and various types of wrapping machines, as well as wrapping techniques for meat and other food products. Generally, meats have been manually wrapped in cello phane sheets which are heat sealed into wrapped position during the wrapping process. However, this technique of wrapping meats and other food products has been a rather slow method, and does not provide a tight and neat appearing wrap to such products. In recent years, the advent of soft, stretchable, and elastic films have provided an easier wrapping process, as well as a neater appearing package. However, these new soft films, such as Pliofilm, made by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and Saran wrap, made by Dow Chemical Company tend to stick to themselves and thus must always be used in web form drawn from a roll. In other words, it is not possible to precut these materials to the desired wrapping size and stack them in sheets as with cellophane, as they will stick together and become unmanageable. Therefore, it has become necessary to provide machines for dispensing these soft films in web form from their normal rolled position. The prior art machines available to achieve this wrapping technique had been expensive, cumbersome, and generally ineffective to provide an improvement over the old method of manually packaging with precut stacked sheets of cellophane. Further, these prior art machines have been wasteful on material, and difiicult to change from one width of material to another.

It has been found by many surveys and studies on wrapping techniques conducted by the US. Department of Agriculture and published periodically that a diagonal or diaper-type wrap will achieve a complete wrap while using the least amount of material. In fact, the diaper wrap with a parallelogram shaped piece of material has been found to use between 10 to about 50 percent less material than a substantially square or rectangular shaped material utilizing a diaper wrap, or a substantially square or rectangular shaped material utilizing a girth type wrap. A wrapping machine adapted to utilize rolls of new soft type films having webs unwound and cut off in parallelogram shape in combination with a manual application of a diaper type wrap is needed by the art.

Therefore, it is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing, and other difficulties of and objections to, prior art practices by the provision of a wrapping machine which may quickly and readily dispense various widths of soft film without entangling contact between different portions of the film and ice where the films are cut by a hot cutting wire in the wrapping process into a parallelogram shape.

A [further object of the invention is to provide a simple, highly effective wrapping machine for soft transparent film webs pulled manually from a roll preferably for wrapping meat products where the wrapping is fast and easy while utilizing a minimum of the film web to effect wrapping.

A further object of the invention is to provide a film wrapping machine where the hot cutting wire is adjustable relative to the wrapping table to facilitate wrapping of uniform packages or large irregular bulky products where different wrapping techniques are utilized.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrapping machine where the tray support for receiving the articles to be wrapped is adjustable in laterally spaced relation to the cutting wire whereby the amount of soft film wrapping material utilized is appropriately controlled depending on the size of the article to be wrapped, and thereby further insuring that a minimum of wrapping material is utilized.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrapping machine where several different widths of soft film wrapping webs are received in stacked shelf relationship whereby the particular width can be quickly and easily moved into wrapping position without contacting or getting fouled with the other webs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrapping machine where soft film webs unwound from respective roll are cut off in precise parallelogram relationship to achieve a very effective wrap utilizing a minimum amount of the film web.

The aforesaid objects of the invention and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing in a semi-automatic wrapping machine the combination of a table having a substantially horizontal top surface, a transparent soft film web movable in longitudinal aligned relation over the top surface of the table, a cutting wire positioned in spaced parallel relation. over the top of the table about centrally thereof at an angle between about 15 to 25 degrees relative to a line normal to the longitudinal axis of movement of the web, means to heat the wire to facilitate cutting of the web at an angle when the web is moved into contact with the wire whereby a parallelogram shaped piece of the web is cut off to be utilized for a desired wrapping operation.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially broken away perspective view of the table and associated equipment illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the complete wrapping machine, more particularly showing the respective positioning of the various width webs thereon;

FIG. 3 is a broken away, enlarged cross sectional view of the resilient mounting of the hot cutting wire relative to the frame; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partially broken away perspective view of the friction holding rollers associated with the stack shelves to hold the film webs in position relative to the stack shelves.

While it should be understood that the invention may be used for any type of package or article to be Wrapped with almost any type or" film or web, the invention has been particularly designed for wrapping meat products with a transparent vinyl soft filmweb, and hence it has been so illustrated and will be so described.

With reference to the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the numeral 149 indicates generally a wrapping machine comprising generally a horizontally positioned table 12 supported by a suitable table (9 frame 14. The table 12 is substantially rectangularly shaped and has a pair of side walls or panels 16 and 18 mounted thereon and extending substantially vertically therefrom along each side about two-thirds of the long length thereof, as indicated in FIGURE 1. Three vertically stacked shelves 22, 24 and 26 are pivotally mounted to the side Walls on laterally spaced rotatable bars 22a, 24a, and 26a, respectively, with such shelves retained in substantially horizontal relationship by a fixed bottom shelf extending between the side Walls or panels 16 and 13. A rotatable bar 20a is mounted to the side walls 16 and 18 in front of shelf 20, as indicated, to facilitate sliding of a web thereover, as more fully set forth below. Each respective shelf is held in spaced relationship from the others by suitable spacer bars, indicated generally by the numeral 28, and affixed to the respective shelves by suitable means, such as screws 30. The shelves 20 through 24 are utilized to receive respective soft films, such as a film 34c illustrated as extending between shelves 20 and 22, and to maintain the films in separated relationship.

In accordance with the invention, it should be understood that the film 34c normally is stretchable without tearing, and has some elastic properties so that it tends to shrink back to its original shape even after stretching. Further, the film 340 is cohesive, or sticky relative to itself and to other similar films, so that it is necessary to maintain a plurality of these films in separated relationship to each other or an undesirable fouling of the Webs will occur.

FIG. 2 more clearly shows how a plurality of rolls of material 34, 36 and 38 are suitably mounted in rotatable relationship on horizontal extending braces 40 and 41 extending between the legs of the frame 14. It is anticipated that each roll will be mounted in a respective set of pillow blocks 34a, 36a, and 38a respectively, wherein the tension on the rotatability may be controlled by appropriate wing nuts 34b, 36b, and 38b to prevent the rolls from overrunning when the webs are pulled thereotf, all in the usual manner. FIG. 2 also illustrates that the respective webs 340 through 380 are kept in separated relationship by associated means, such as rollers 34d, 36d and 48d mounted in rotatable relationship on the side panels 16 and 18. Each respective web 340 through 380 then passes around a respective rotatable bar 20a, 22a, or 24a and onto its respective shelf 20 through 24. Normally the respective webs will simply lie on top of their shelves and not extend therebeyond when they are not being used. In essence they will be folded onto themselves or bunched onto the shelves. If, however, as indicated by the web 34c, it is in position for use, it will pass under a leveling roller 42 and over a support bar 44 so that its end, as indicated in FIG. 2, will hang down for ready access to be manually grabbed and pulled by a person operating the equipment. Normally the folded or bunched portion will have to be cut off before good clear film is ready for wrapping use. The leveling roller 42 insures that no matter which web is being used, they will all come from the same level to insure uniform operation of the apparatus. The support bar 44 merely prevents the web from dropping back to a more inaccessible position relative to the apparatus operator. When wrapping has been completed by a particular film it may then be folded onto itself and bunched back onto its respective shelf.

Thus, it should be understood that the respective webs 34c through 380 each move in substantial longitudinal alignment relative to the table 12 and the side Walls 16 and 18. One may readily switch from one web to another because of the shelf relationship without having them adhere to One another and thereby create an undesirable situation. In practice, it is thought that the rolls will be in 12, 15 and 18 inch widths to readily accommodate the various size packages associated with meat as sold today.

Of course, if should be understood that the invention merely contemplates that one or more rolls may be mounted relative to the frame, but the shelf stacking technique is particularly applicable where there are a 4 plurality of rolls mounted to prevent the sticking of the relative webs together, and to support the webs for the entire width thereof.

The essence of the invention is then achieved by mounting a substantially conventional hot cutting wire on the side panels 16 and 18 at an angle of between about 15 to about 25 degrees to a line normal to the longitudinal axis or direction of movement of the web 32, as more clearly seen in FIG. 1. The Wire 50 is resiliently mounted in respective slots 52 and 54 in the side walls 16 and 18. The slot 54 is set back to achieve the desired 15 to 25 angled relationship for the wire 50. Angular adjustment of the relation of the wire 50 may be accomplished by adjusting the relation of the side Walls 16 and 18 to the table 12.

As seen in FIG. 3, it is contemplated that the wire 50 will be mounted to respective screws 56 and 58 carried in insulated relationship by substantially rectangularly shaped slides 60 and 62 by means of tubular insulating inserts 64 and 66, respectively. The mounting bolts 56 and 58 are resiliently held in longitudinal slidable relation relative to the insulating inserts 64 and 66 by helical compression springs 68 and 70 received therearound and abutting against the head of the screws 56 and 58, all as indicated in FIG. 3. An electrical current may be supplied through the wire 50 by appropriate lines 72 and 74 connected in electrical relationship to the screws 56 and 58 by suitable mounting means such as screws 76 and 78, respectively.

It is anticipated that the resilient mounting of the wire 59 will hold it in fixed position relative to the side walls 16 and 18, and yet allow its vertical adjustment in the respective slots 52 and 54. Such vertical adjustment of the cutting wire 50 becomes an important consideration when packaging articles of large irregular shapes, such as hams, when it would be desirable to place the film web beneath the ham, in which case the cutting wire 50 should be in its lowermost position so the web may be pulled out over the wire to the desired length and then moved downwardly against it for cutting action. Conversely, if packaging is done of the regular square or rectangular cardboard trays containing meat, such as that indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 1, it is preferable .to have the cutting wire 50 in the upper position with the web passing thereunder so that the wrapping may pass over top of the package 90 and then be moved upwardly up against the wire 50 for the cutting action.

The invention contemplates that in order to facilitate wrapping of packages, a support tray is adjustably positioned on parallel extending guide rails 102 and 104, respectively, mounted in adjacent parallel relation to the sides 16 and 18. The support tray 100 normally has its rearward edge 106 out otf in substantially parallel relation to the cutting wire 50, or in other words at between about 15 and 25 in relation to the longitudinal moving path or axis of the film web 340. The forward edge of the support tray 100 is usually parallel to the forward edge of the table 12. In order to enhance the positioning of the articles of meat to be wrapped onto the support tray, a center line mark 108 is placed thereon. It is believed that the best positioning of square or rectangular packages onto the tray 100 is so that the center line 108 runs diagonally across from corner to corner of the particular article being wrapped. In this manner, the

articles are positioned in the best possible relationship to the parallelogram shaped piece of web which is cut from the sheet. This relationship achieves the desired diaper type wrapQwhile utilizing the least amount of film. It

should be noted that the support tray 100 is curled over on each side edge to fit in sliding relationship over the guides 102 and 104. V

vIn order to lock the tray 100 into fixed relation relative to the guides 102 and 104, and to allow selective positioning thereof a plurality of notches 102a and 104a are cut into the tops of the guides 102 and 104, respectively. The

forward end of the support tray 100 then has small locking bars 110 and 112, respectively, which fit into a respective notch 102a or 104a, to achieve desired adjustable locking of the support tray 100 in a given position. The purpose of adjusting the position of the support tray 100 is to position the package received on the tray in relation to the cutting wire 50, depending upon the size of the package. Naturally, a larger package must be positioned farther away from the cutting wire so that more material is cut off toachieve the desired wrap.

In order to facilitate in starting the first corner wrap around the package 90, and to facilitate in lifting the package 90 off the support tray 100', an elongated pickup slot 114- is cut through the top of the support tray 100 at an angle of between about 30 and about 60 degrees relative to the guide line 108 and actually extending into one end of the guide line 108, as indicated in FIG. 1. Naturally, the particular slot 114 shown in FIG. 1 is adapted for a person basically right handed with the first wrap being from the right hand forward corner of the film down and under the particular package 90 shown in dotted lines in the drawing.

Naturally, as the package 90 is wrapped and layers of the film are superimposed the film layers will engage and tend to stick together. In normal wrapping with this type of film, the film is stretched into taut position around the package with a minimum of material utilized because of the parallelogram shaped piece of material utilized to achieve the diagonal or diaper type wrap. The exact techniques utilized to achieve the manual wrap in minimum time and with minimum material are shown in my copending application entitled Method for Wrapping Packages, filed May 4, 1965, under Ser. No. 453,076.

In order to complete the sealing engagement of the package as wrapped, a suitable hot plate 120 is mounted centrally on the forward open portion of the table 12 in front of a control panel 122 whereby the package may be pressed thereagainst to heat seal the folded corners of the wrap into position. The control panel 122 is powered through a suitable plug 124 from a 110 volt source. A rheostat 126 controls the temperature of the hot plate 120, in the usual manner. An on-off switch 127 is provided to control the electricity flow to the cutting wire 50. A suitable on-otf indicating light 128 may be provided, with a suitable fuse 130 to control any possible damage to the circuit on an overload of some type.

FIG. 4 illustrates how the stacked shelves 22 through 26 function to hold the respective film webs in position. More specifically, a holding roller 28a is rotatably received .at each end in a vertical slot 28b in the spacer bars 28 which slot 28b allows the roller 28a to ride vertically up and down. Thus, it should be clear that the slot 28b allows the roller 28a to rest by gravity on the top of the particular film 34c passing thereunder. However, when a person manually grabs the film 34c and pulls it upwardly and outwardly, it may readily be pulled underneath the roller 28a as the roller rides up in the slot 2812. However, when the film is released and tends to slide back by the effects of gravity, etc. the roller 28a by resting with the force of gravity on top of the film causes it to remain in essentially its same position without backing off. Naturally, each of the respective shelves 24 and 26 has the same type of arrangements to hold the respective film webs that are passed therethrough to accomplish the separation features more particularly described above.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the objects of the invention have been achieved by providing a wrapping apparatus wherein a plurality of webs of different widths may be presented in a readily accessible manner without causing them to be entangled because of their inherent characteristics to stick to themselves or other similar webs. The particular web being utilized is passed beneath the leveling bar 42 so that all webs in essence come from the same level, and is moved either under or over a particular piece of meat or other article to be wrapped. with the particular web then moved upwardly or downwardly depending'upon the article being wrapped, against the hot cutting wire 50, to thereby cut the desired amount of material from the web. However, since the cutting wire 50 is positioned at an angle relative to the sides 16 and 18, and thus at an angle relative to the longitudinal movement of the Web, each section of the web that is cut olf in essence resembles a parallelogram. A parallelogram type diaper wrap is of critical importance in this type of equipment since it means that wrapping can be accomplished with a considerable savings in overall film material. The support tray has the scoop hole 114 to facilitate the wrap and the removal of the article from the tray, which is adjustably positioned to facilitate the wrapping of larger or smaller articles. The machine is relatively uncomplicated and facilitates efficient wrapping action.

It is believed that the apparatus disclosed hereinabove provides a very usable, yet very simple machine for achieving meat and food wrapping with a soft type film wherein the least amount of material necessary for each particular wrap is utilized, and wrapping can progress in expeditious fashion regardless of the size of the particular article to be wrapped.

While in accordance with the patent statutes only one best known embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, but that the inventive scope is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wrapping machine the combination of a base frame,

a table mounted in substantially horizontal relation on the frame,

a plurality of separate horizontal shelves mounted in vertically stacked relation on one end of the table,

means for mounting a plurality of rolls of transparent film in parallel rotatable relation on the frame whereby a web of film from each roll can be received on a separate shelf and with all webs being movable on a common longitudinal axis,

a plurality of separation roller means mounted on the frame to keep the plurality of webs from the rolls out of contact with each other,

vertically movable friction roller means mounted on each respective shelf to lie on top of and hold by friction its respective web from sliding off the shelf under the force of gravity,

a leveling roller mounted to the frame just in front of the shelves to bring each web when used to the same level for being manually pulled off its respective roll,

a metal cutting wire mounted in spaced parallel relation above the table and about centrally thereof, but at an angle of between about 15 to about 25 to a line normal to the longitudinal movement axis of the Web as it is pulled off the roll,

a supporting rod mounted in spaced parallel relation over the table in parallel relation to the cutting wire between the cutting wire and the leveling roller to catch the end of the web remaining when a cutting action on the wire has been completed,

means to supply an electric current to heat the cutting wire,

a support tray mounted in spaced parallel relation to the table with one end in spaced parallel relation to the cut-ting wire and the other end in spaced parallel relation to the other end of the table,

a guide line marked through the center of the support tray being substantially perpendicular to the other end thereof, said support tray having a wide elongated scoop slot therethrough at an angle of between about 30 to about 60 relative to the guide line whereby the guide line passes in an imaginary path through one end of the slot,

a hot plate mounted on the table between the other end thereof and the other end of the support tray, and

means to controllably provide heat to the hot plate.

2. A machine according to claim 1 where the cutting Wire is vertically adjustable relative to the table.

3. A combination according to claim 1 where the supporting tray is horizontally adjustable in spaced relation relative to the cutting wire.

4. A combination according to claim 1 where the rolls of transparent film are mounted in adjustable friction relationship in relation to the frame to prevent override of the rolls when the Webs are pulled therefrom.

5. In a wrapping machine the combination of a base frame,

a table mounted in substantially horizontal relation on the frame,

a plurality of separate shelves mounted in stacked relation on one end of the table,

means for mounting a plurality of rolls of transparent film in rotatable relation on the frame whereby a web of film from each roll is received in longitudinal alignment onto a separate shelf,

a leveling roller mounted to the frame just in front of the shelves to bring each Web when used to thesame level for being manually pulled off its respective roll,

a hot cutting wire mounted in spaced parallel relation above the table and about centrally thereof, to cut a respective web when moved thereagainst,

a supporting rod mounted in spaced parallel relation over the table in parallel relation to the cutting Wire between the cutting wire and the leveling roller to catch the end of the Web remaining when a cutting action on the wire has been completed, and

means to supply an electric current to heat the cutting wire.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 where the cutting Wire is vertically adjustable relative to the table, and where the wire makes an angle of between about 15 to about 25 relative a line normal to the longitudinal movement of the web of film.

7. A combination according to claim 5 where a supporting tray is positioned in horizontally adjustable spaced relation relative to the cutting wire to receive a package to be wrapped by a web of film cut off by the cutting wire. '8. A combination according to claim 5 where'the rolls of transparent film are mounted in adjustable friction relationship in relation to the frame to prevent override of the rolls when the webs are pulled therefrom, and where a vertically movable friction roller means is mounted to each respective shelf to line on top of and hold by friction its respective web from sliding ofl the shelf under the force of gravity.

9. In a wrapping machine the combination of a base frame, a table mounted in substantially horizontal relation on the frame, a plurality of separate horizontal shelves mounted in vertically stacked relation on one end of the table, means for mounting a plurality of rolls of transparent film in parallel rotatable relation on the frame whereby a web of film from each roll can be received on a separate shelf and with all webs being movable on a common longitudinal axis, means to keep the Webs from the rolls out of contact before they reach their respective shelves, means to frictionally hold each web in its respective shelf, leveling means mounted to the frame whereby each Web when used is adjusted to the same level when it is manually pulled off its respective roll over its respective shelf, and means to cut off a desired section of the Web when it has been manually pulled off its respective roll.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,637,802 8/1927 Bronander et a1. 53-31 XR 2,593,325 4/ 1952 Mathews 53390 2,974,458 3/1961 Muskat et al. 53-390 XR 2,987,864 6/ 1961 Miller 53-4390 WILLIAM W. DYER, 1a., Primary Examiner.

R. A. ALVEY, Assistant Examiner. 

